So that E VERYONE

may walk in pe ace

Imi LICHTENFELD (1910-1998)
Krav Maga Founder

SuMMARy
A word from the prsident............................................................ 3
Krav Maga.............................................................................................................. 4
History................................................................................................................. 4
definition........................................................................................................... 4
Principles : the quest of efficiency...................................... 5
Benefits............................................................................................................... 6
the F.E.K.M............................................................................................................. 7
Ranks and belts........................................................................................... 8
themes and gradings.. ........................................................................... 8
Clothing and protective wear............................................... 10
Words of advice........................................................................................ 10
Course delivery.......................................................................................... 11
T ypical structure.................................................................................... 11
Practical advice...................................................................................... 12
The correct movements................................................................... 13
Glossary.............................................................................................................. 16
So you want to teach Krav MAga.......................................... 18
SUCCESS Stories. . ....................................................................................... 19
 a word from the president

F irst of all I wish to thank you for your

interest in Krav Maga. Through your enthusiasm and that of your
predecessors, our discipline is now recognized as the self-defence of choice. Other
systems refer to or draw an inspiration from it thanks to its founder, Imi Lichtenfeld, his
genius, and his training which I have had the privilege to follow for twenty four years.

Of course Imi taught me Krav Maga, but also much more than that. He changed my
outlook on life and even my understanding of it, and in this respect he was the great
teacher I would have had each of you meet. He taught me the simplicity of movement
both in Krav Maga and in my daily life, to aim only for what is essential.

Since he entrusted me with the responsibility for Europe, my main purpose was to
pass on that wealth of knowledge. It should help us to understand that Krav Maga,
the purpose of which can be drastic and uncompromising, is wholly compatible with
humanism and tolerance.

You are perfectly free to involve yourself as much or as little as you like when practicing
Krav Maga. You can take the aspects of self-defence and just to learn the techniques
you might need one day to save your life. Should you make this discipline a greater
part of your life, it may also become a combat sport or even a martial art. Whatever
happens, and for you to see its benefits, all I suggest is that you stay truthful and
genuine with your learning process.

Welcome to the school of Krav Maga

Richard Douieb
F.E.K.M. Founder and President

3
Krav Maga
Histoire

Simplicit y and efficiency are key features of Krav Maga.

This is the reason Israeli military forces as a whole, some law agencies, F.B.I. agents
and police officers from the G.I.G.N. embraced the discipline.

Imi LICHTENFELD (1910-1998) created it. He was born in Czechoslovakia and prac-
tised many sports, finally deciding to focus on gymnastics, wrestling and boxing. He
became an active participant in several competitions, which he often won, especially
in wrestling.

He chose to join the state of Israel which was forming in 1948. There, he became the
Chief Instructor of Physical Training and Krav Maga for the army, and served in the
I.D.F. for 20 years all the while refining and expanding his own system of self-defence.

Imi personally trained the very best fighters among the Israeli elite units. He also
taught many generations of Krav Maga instructors like F.E.K.M. President Richard
DOUIEB, official representative of the disciplines founder in Europe.

definition

Krav Maga is Hebrew for Close Combat.

It rests upon two key features :

Self-defence, which forms its primary framework. This includes different tech-
niques allowing practitioners to fend off attacks, avoid injuries and defeat opponents
from a wide range of unarmed or armed attacks from different positions: standing,
seated, or even lying down.

Close combat, which is a step further in Krav Maga: it trains you to swiftly and
efficiently neutralise your opponent. It contains elements specifically related to combat:
tactics, feints, the combination of different attacks, the psychological aspects of combat,
and many exercises to strengthen ones mind and develop an ability to cope with violent

4
confrontations under stress.

Krav Maga is not another school of martial arts based on a traditional approach.
Its a modern self-defence system first and foremost. It distinguishes itself with a
consistent and logical thought process, leading to a natural, practical and easy
fighting technique based on rather simple body movements. The disciplines requi-
rement for realism precludes any rules, boundaries or competition sport. Krav Maga
arose in a context where violence especially political or ideological was com-
monplace. This environment permitted the discipline to be tested, studied and, as
a direct result, improved. It perfected and demonstrated its worth as a self-defence
system which would be practical when faced with real and dire threats.

PRINCIPLES: THE QUEST FOR EFFICIENCY

Krav Maga teaches that simplicit y is the key to the best chance of
survival during a physical assault.

Simple moves exist for two good reasons. Firstly, they are short and direct which is
automatically fast, and secondly as a result they are less tiring and allow you to pre-
serve your optimum physical ability during a fight.

Despite the lack of boundaries in Krav Maga, strict safety rules are observed during
training to ensure that practitioners safely achieve a high level of competence. Howe-
ver you do need to keep in mind that even if you are in a safe environment, you cannot
dismiss any movement or attack while you are practising the techniques.

We are not interested in looking good as efficiency is the highest priority. The main
purpose is to learn how you might protect yourself when absolutely necessary, and
we cannot afford to be worried about how we look when we are focussing on staying
alive. As our training progresses we strive to react in the most efficient and self-
controlled ways master our control, so that we can avoid killing or causing grievous
physical damage. At this point, it becomes an art.

5
BENEFITS

Accessible to everyone, Krav maga training is very diverse. It enables

everyone to develop their strength, flexibility, coordination and spatial awareness. It is unri-
valled as a form of comprehensive physical activity leading to moral and physical benefits.

A HEALTHY MIND IN A HEALTHY BODY

MUSCLE TONE: Krav Maga strengthens muscles as a whole. The warm up

and general fitness training, movements and partnered exercises tone and strengthen
all of the bodys muscle groups.
STRETCHING AND GENTLE FITNESS ROUTINE: Promo-
ting suppleness and physical recovery, the practise of Krav Maga nurtures bodily
awareness and leads to a better and lasting health.
BALANCE: Krav Maga strengthens the legs and core through basic positio-
ning and stance training, which develops greater balance and reduces the fear of
falling.
COORDINATION: Mentally picturing movements and practicing punching
and kicking helps the practitioner develop good coordination, bodily awareness and
a relationship with their surroundings..
CARDIOVASCULAR: A Krav Maga session includes regular intense acti-
vity at your own pace. This quickly leads to physical fitness, muscle tone and deve-
lops a balanced athletic build.
MEMORY: Practising and repeating specific movements, strikes and parries
against visualised attackers, which we call Shadow Boxing is an excellent way of
developing memory and reactions.
STRESS: The physical activity expended during Krav Maga is a proven
method of healthy stress relief, providing the practitioner with better control over their
emotions and behaviour during tense personal or work situations.

Many of our members regularly report back to us on the various benefits Krav Maga has
given them in their day to day lives.

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 F.E.K.M.
Europan federation of Krav Maga

uthorised by Imi LICHTENFELD, Richard DOUIEB created the European Fede-

A ration which currently numbers over 12,000 licensed practitioners across ten
countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the
United Kingdom.

Having over 12,000 members makes the F.E.K.M. it the worlds largest Krav Maga
federation.

Richard DOUIEB is the president. He coordinates and structures the progress of

each teacher responsible for a member country. He also teaches every European
high-ranking F.E.K.M. instructor, including 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st Darga practitioners.

The martial arts community as a whole, and especially his peers, acknowledge his
efforts to develop, structure and share Krav Maga with as many people as possible.

Each country has its own board of directors and a federation president. All of those
federations are linked with the F.E.K.M.

The French members of the F.E.K.M. amount to 90% of the Krav Maga practitioners as
a whole within the country. The other 10% is comprised of many other styles and inde-
pendent Krav Maga clubs.
F.E.K.M. members commit to respect the following moral code :

As an a F.E.K.M. member, I swear to respect the following charter of conduct and

I will display: HONESTY, GENTLENESS, HUMILITY, and TRUTHFULNESS with
regards to our organisations body of rules and regulations, the instructors and my
fellow practitioners.
Furthermore, I undertake to only use Krav Maga during training or to defend my phy-
sical integrity and/or that of my friends or family. I will also work to instill a humble and
friendly atmosphere in the training environment.

BECOME ONE OF THEM BY JOINING THE F.E.K.M. !!!

7
RANKS AND BELTS
he technical programme of the F.E.K.M. is measured by various coloured belts,
T then in Dargas (Hebrew for Step) after the first black belt.
Your local club handles your progression and gradings up to the brown belt, however
starting at the black belt, you are graded only at national exams invigilated by
three high ranking jury members chosen by the F.E.K.M. - A distinction in itself !

Your instructors opinion is still the most important factor in order for you to earn your
belt.

Youre in for quite an adventure...

GENERAL THEMES WITHIN THE GRADING SYSTEM

YELLOW BELT
(First Year)
Guard position
Movement
Breakfalls and Rolls
Base striking techniques (Feet, fists, elbows,
knees) and defence against direct hits.
Defence against basic grabs and strangles
Defence against simple knife attacks.

ORANGE BELT
(First Year)
Intermediate striking techniques (hook,
uppercut, hammer)
Defence and strike combinations
Avoiding being hit
Various kicks while static and while moving
Defence against more active grabs and
strangles
Parry/counter against direct punches or kicks
Shadow boxing (test boxing in Hebrew)
Light sparring

8
GREEN BELT
(Second Year)
Roundhouse kick
Additional grab defences hair, wrist, etc
Basic ground fighting defences against
strangulation and grabs
Parries and counters against various strike
combinations
Combat readiness
Additional more advanced striking techniques

BLUE BELT
(Third Year)
Parries and counters against various kicks and
punches
Defences against various knife attacks
Defences against various stick or baton attacks
Sweeping techniques
Basic throwing techniques

BROWN BELT
(Fourth Year
Defences against elaborate grabs and strangles
Dynamic throws
Defences against knife, staff or baton attacks
from any angle.
Defences against pistol and extreme knife threats
Parries and counters from a sitting or lying
down position.

BLACK BELT 1ST DARGA AND UP

(Fif th Year Basis)
Perfection of all the techniques from the yellow belt on
Implementation through specific exercises with or
without a partner
Demonstrating competence from both static and
moving positions
Combat against multiple armed opponents, and so on

BEING READY
TO MEET ANY TYPE OF ATTACK

9
DRESS CODE AND PROTECTION
The F.E.K.M requires the following dress code when training :
white t-shirt without any club logo
black cotton martial arts trousers
coloured belt corresponding to ones rank
clean trainer, used exclusively for training (except when training on mats, where
footwear will be removed)

In order to train in the safest environment, the following protective equipment is

mandatory to own and wear:
a groin guard (men and women)
a pair of shin pads for sparring and training
a pair of Western boxing glove - closed

For ones own comfort, the use of the following protective wear is strongly advised :
a protecting breast plate (for women)
kneepads (volley-ball style), which are very useful during practice on the ground
and during other specific exercises
elbow pads, during groundwork for green belt level and up

SOME ADVICE

With regards to training shoes, select a sturdy and light model, from a sport where
the standing position changes often, quickly and in any direction.
Remember to rinse your protective wear and to air your shoes and gloves after
every training session.
It is common to feel a bit tired during evening lessons after having worked all day,
so remember to bring a snack bar or some fruit to get a quick energy boost in those
moments.
If you wear contact lenses, remember to not only bring everything necessary in
order to wash them, but also some spare lenses.
Always bring bottled water in order to rehydrate yourself.
Finally, please ensure that the nails on your hands and feet are cut, that your outfit
is clean and that you are generally well presented

10
 CLASS ORGANISATION
Basic structure

he lessons you will receive at your club will, in general terms, follow a struc-
T ture that is consistent across all the clubs within the F.E.K.M. The format may
fluctuate depending upon the specific theme, duration or objectives of the session,
however the basic structure will always be the same

Salute (1)
In a line facing the instructor, by hierarchical belt order

Warm-up (20-25)
Pre warm-up
Warm-upt
Fitness training

Technical Subject (20-25)

(2 or 3 different techniques, depending on ses-
sion duration) )
Explanation of the technique
Static training with a partner
Dynamic application

Technical revision (15)

A reminder of the techniques practised
Static training and development of the technique towards the required level
Dynamic training and practical, real world application

 tretch and warm down (10)

S
Important in order to avoid post training injury and stiffness

Salute (2)
In a line facing the instructor, by hierarchical belt order
Comments and question

11
PRACTICAL ADVICE

Set ting goals is essential

for progression

Before the lesson

Be there 10 minutes before the session starts, not only to avoid missing out on the
warm-up phase, which puts your body in a condition to avoid injuries, but also not to
miss out on the salute, which is a sign of respect for your instructor.
If for any reason you are not able to be at the session on time, please contact your
instructor and let them know
Get your gloves and mouth guard out of your bag, in order to avoid wasting time
searching for them during the transition phases between exercises.

During the lesson

Respect your training partners and speak to them cordially
Listen to the instructions that you are given and if necessary ask questions either
during or after the explanation of the technique remember your instructors are
there to assist you.
Remember to bring a bottle of water, and have it to hand so that you can hydrate
regularly. If, for whatever reason, you are feeling faint during the session, immediately
speak to the person in charge to ensure that you are properly looked after.

At the end of the lesson

If you must leave before the end of the session, please let the instructor know in
advance if possible, and before you go check that there has been no rubbish left
behind and you have not forgotten anything.

Af ter the lesson

Your instructors are here to guide you in your learning. Practising techniques between
sessions will be excellent for your personal development and growth in Krav Maga
but most importantly, get some rest !

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 THE CORRECT MOVEMENTS
Developing reflexes
to avoid injury

Push-ups position
As a simple, direct and efficient exercise, push-ups are a mandatory part of our
warm-ups. A good starting position is a prerequisite for the correct execution of the
movement the movement.

There is a wide variety of hand positions, of distance between the arms and between
the feet, of rythms and movements (you will soon be familiar with these). In any case,
except if the instructor says otherwise, you must be careful to keep the body straight
from the shoulders to the ankles, and to take care not to twist the pelvis forward or
backward. Quite an art in itself !

Crunches or Chest Raising

Strengthening the core is crucial for the practice of our discipline, and is the focus of
much of our attention.

One of the basic manoeuvres in order to strengthen it is chest raising. Here again, the
working position and the respect of some basic rules are essential in order to assure
good and safe results.

For basic work, you must be lying on your back, with your legs bent, your thighs
vertical and your shins horizontal with your feet crossed. From this position, you must
slightly raise your elbows from the ground with your hands crossed on your torso. At
the signal, the chest is raised toward the knees, contracting the abdominal muscles.
This movement is short. Then get back to the starting position, taking care not to let
your shoulders touch the ground. Then do it again!

13
Hand positions
During the first few sessions, it is not long before we explain the initial forms and
positions of the hand during defensive strikes.
Here are the three main positions we shall use :

Open hand Closed fist Extendedfingers

The direct kick

It is one of the first defence techniques that Krav Maga enables A
us to use. This kick is a distinctive feature of our discipline, and
is delivered with the tip of the foot or the shoe extended and
the toes bent upwards for protection on impact. The kick is
then essentially given by the ball or bony part situated under
the foot (A) at the base of the toes. This position of the foot
must be strictly respected while wearing shoes, in order to avoid being injured.

The neutral position

The following are three rules that apply when you practise
the exercises and techniques of Krav Maga they are always
true, and not just for beginners !

1. Stand totally relaxed, feet apart, shoulders down

2. Do not telegraph your movements, and do not pull

back before making a defence

3. The part of the body that is used for defence, and this
part alone, moves first and directly to the target, remo-
ving all useless movements

14
The guard
Ten basic tips to adopt a good position

1. Left leg in front for the right-handed (right leg for the left-handed) with approxima-
tely one steps distance between the feet.)
2. The feet should be the same width apart as they would be if you were standing in
the neutral position. l
3. Front foot slightly bent inward, back foot balanced on the ball of the foot with the
heel slightly raised
4. Pelvis oriented between front facing and 45 degrees to the side
5. Chest facing forwards at 45 degrees
6. Weight of the body equally balanced between the two slightly bent legs
7. Chest and head slightly bent forwards
8. Hands open on both sides and at the level of the face
9. Palms turned inward, fingers relaxed, thumbs bent inward
10. Elbows naturally hanging down in front of the chest but tucked in to protect the ribs

8
7

9
9
10
5
4

3
2 3

15
GLOSSARY
Natural (or neutral) position
Front facing position, with the shoulders relaxed and the hands at the level of the hips.
Legs are parallel and relaxed in a position below the pelvis.

Guarded position
Front facing position, one leg in front of the other, hands open, palms facing each
other at the level of the eyes.

Striking without telegraphing

Strike made from a natural position without any useless gesture that could provoke a
counterattack before the strike.

Piston strike
Left or right hand strike, given with a closed fist. The thumb is
placed upward and the wrist is slightly bent inward, in order to
align the first two knuckles of the first two fingers (that will in fact
be the ones striking) to the bones of the upper arm.
This kind of strike is often used when one hand touches or
grasps the opponents arm to immobilise it, leaving the other
hand free for the piston.

Crotch strike
Strike to (simulation or touch only) the sparring partners groin
(protected by a groin guard). Because of its final and absolute nature, this strike is
one of the most used in our technical vocabulary. It is done with all the natural wea-
pons of the defender : feet, shins, knees, forearm and flat of the hand.

shadow boxing (test boxing)

Exercise done alone against an imaginary opponent. The person visualises the op-
ponents actions and makes their combat movements while respecting as much as
possible the technique, moves and principles of our discipline. Flow, relaxation and
endurance are the most important factors.

16
360
Outer defence (easiest to imagine a circle surrounding the person practicing the tech-
nique) used against every type of attack: knives, fists, feet one of krav magas
signature moves !

Parry against simultaneous at tacks

Defence against an attack combined with a simultaneous counter attack with the
correct timing.

Light combat or light sparring

NB - this is an important exercise, and certainly one of the most important and difficult to unders-
tand and to master. The two partners fight with or without any instructions from the instructor.
The blows are not struck hard, as everyone is aiming to touch their partner at a
moderate speed with very little power. The person we are working with, or sparring with, is not
an opponent or an aggressor but a partner.
Because the lunches and kicks are not given in earnest, we are not afraid of our partner and
what they are doing. The aim is to visualise and to understand the movements of the other
person, to work on our movements and on our endurance, to apply the techniques we have
learned (parries, counterattacks, dodges, and strikes) without ever receiving a hard blow when
we fail. This way, we can familiarise ourselves with combat situations without the risk of getting
injured. When we are touched by a punch, hand strike, knee or kick, we understand that it is
because we didnt parry properly, or we misjudged the distance or timing, and as a result we can
correct our technique. Light sparring can be practised many times a day as a pleasurable exer-
cise which boosts the learning of the various techniques by applying them in a safe scenario.

Timing
Ability to act or react more efficiently in a short period of time. Often at the beginning
of an attack.

Sequence
Improvised series of defences, movements, strikes, grips and throws to the ground in
response to an attack.

Body weight
A prevailing concept in our self-defence discipline. The phrase the use of body
weight is used to explain the technical act of using the weight of the whole body as
a tool to improve the efficiency of a strike, whatever that strike may be. When you
have learned to efficiently use your body weight, it quickly becomes apparent that you
dont need to be strong and athletic to make an effective defence and response to an
attack. Welcome to the world of Krav Maga !!

17
TO TEACH KRAV MAGA
o you want to teach Krav Maga, open a club, or just join the instructor team in your
D current club? All this is possible !

In order to understand and to properly convey the teachings of this discipline, the F.E.K.M.
established from the very beginning a teaching course designed for the people that were
interested in becoming instructors. It is organized in two distinct levels, according to what
stage the future instructor is currently at.

F.E.K.M. Initiator Qualification : As the name suggests, this is

where the instructor begins their training, and at the same time begins to train other people
in the basics of Krav Maga. In order to be able to do this, they must have attended the
following 3 long training courses of 4 or 5 days over the course of at least a year:
An initiation course (this is exempted for those students who have already obtained
their green belt) : During this course, the student studies the technical program from the
yellow belt to the green belt. The club instructor then delivers a report to Richard DOUIEB
on the physical and technical capabilities of the candidate, as well as their moral capa-
cities. This is due to the fact that Krav Maga conveys the moral values passed on by Imi
LICHTENFELD, and the F.E.K.M. intends to maintain the spirit established by its founder.
A second long course : supervised by Richard DOUIEB, or one of the F.E.K.M. regis-
tered teachers : During this course, the candidate will improve their knowledge of the
F.E.K.M. technical program, as well as gaining a greater understanding of the structure of
a lesson, the attitude that a Krav Maga instructor must have and the subtleties of the Krav
Maga teaching methods.
One last long course supervised by Richard DOUIEB: At this stage, the candidate
will finalise his or her instruction and will present a lesson in front of Richard. If it is appro-
ved, and after having presented his or her official first aid certificate, he or she will obtain
the F.E.K.M. Initiator Qualification.

F.E.K.M. Instructor Qualification : In order to gain the full

F.E.K.M. Instructor Qualification, the candidate must have achieved their black belt 1st
Darga, and also have been through the initiator training courses as above. If a student
reaches their Black Belt 1st Darga and wishes to teach they must still go through the
initiator courses as above, have their first aid certificate, and be favourably judged when
presenting a lesson.

All information is available at :

http://KravMaga.net/enseignement/enseigner-le-KravMaga.html

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19
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